ML W164 Parktronic problem.

[dan f]

Hi All.

I have a bit of a poser for you.

I have a 2007 W164 ML. Just two days ago the front left (N/S) set of three parking sensors stopped registering any objects.

The system 'boots' as expected, all the LEDs light up upon starting ignition, front and back, but after that nothing is registered on the N/S Front corner, however the middle yellow LEDs are lit as normal.

The O/S F and the entire rear is fine and operates as expected.

I have long suspected that the N/S F hasn't been as sensitive as the opposite side (thinking one or more may be faulty) and it would appear the sensors have now given up.

Funny thing is the system knows all the sensors are there and says they are all fine.

This leads me to think the controller is fine and the sensors themselves have gone but not completely died.

I have been told that if a sensor goes the whole system should stop working, however when we first had the car, the N/S R sensor wasn't working but the rest were working fine.

Replaced the sensor and all was good. Which is why I hope this will be as 'simple'.

Does anyone have any experience of this and can anyone verify what the dealer tech said when he said that it could be the controller as it can go dicky in this manner.

Call me daft but I find it illogical that a single IC in the controller would not be able to operate one quadrant but it can the other three.

To me if the controller was faulty they system would register a fault at a single point, i.e. the controller... surely?

Willing to be put right on that however.

I look forward to any pearls of wisdom from peeps.

Cheers,
Dan.

 

[BlackC55]

You need it plugged into a Star. Otherwise it's guesswork.

 

[jaymanek]

Are you sure you have genuine system as if there is a fault with any one sensor then it shuts down completely and you get the two red dots.

 

[kid-jensen]

I bought the car with Sensors that failed the BITE and switched the whole system (front and Back) after about 10 seconds.

To diagnose it you really need something like a Autocom CDP/Delphi reader and software (ebay, abouit £45). It can be used to read actual distances from each individual sensor, so finding the problem one should be easy.

Mine turned out to be a short in one of the sensors. When it was replaced, all was Ok.

Quite a cheap fix in Mercedes tearms.

 

[dan f]

Hi Guys/Gals.
Thanks for the replies.
It is a genuine system yes.
When I bought the car the rear N/S sensor wasn't working but the rest still worked so having a faulty sensor doesn't necessarily mean that the system will stop or register a fault.
As it turns out it looks like I was correct in that one or two of the sensors weren't working properly (i.e. intermittently) from when I had the car and now, all three front N/S sensors are not working but no faults are registered.
In fact they all show as present and correct.
Swapped sensors from one side to the other and now the problem is on the other side!
Weird but true.
Sometimes the most logical (and simplest) thing can be the thing at fault.
Cheers all,
Dan.

 

[dan f]

@ Paul G, what is 'the BITE'?

 

[kid-jensen]

Built-In Test Equipment.

Normally a software routine that checks all the sensors and other peripherals at switch-on.

Any problems detected can be flagged-up, or in the case of the Parking sensors, switched off..

 

[dan f]

Thanks for that Paul.
I just think it is weird that the sensors must have been okay enough to tell the system they were okay, and yet were emitting nothing.
Cheers,
Dan.

 

[kid-jensen]

Software eh?

Sunrise technolpgy...